IAF officially hands over Race Course sports complex to Centre
What's the story
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has officially handed over the 39.5-acre Race Course sports complex to the Land and Development Office (L&DO). The transfer was done on an "as is where is" basis, leaving existing facilities such as the golf course and swimming pool untouched. A joint survey by the Defence Estate Office, IAF, and L&DO will now determine the exact size of this parcel of land.
Reclamation efforts
Centre's push to reclaim prime land
The handover is part of a larger effort by the Centre to reclaim prime government land around Lok Kalyan Marg, where the Prime Minister's residence is located.
The L&DO had earlier taken over the adjoining 15.2-acre Jaipur Polo Ground in June and the 53-acre Delhi Race Club in August.
The 27.3-acre Delhi Gymkhana Club was also ordered to vacate.
Dispute history
Land dispute has been ongoing since 2017
The Air Force Golf Course, a nine-hole facility within the complex, has been embroiled in a land dispute since 2017.
Eviction notices were issued to several entities, including the Air Force Sports Complex and Jaipur Polo Club that year, but no action was taken then.
This year, L&DO issued fresh notices to establishments on government land along Lok Kalyan Marg.
Legal challenge
What will happen to the Delhi Gymkhana Club?
The land transfer has gone through even though recently retired IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh raised the matter with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh twice, asking him to keep the land parcel under IAF control.
Singh referred to a joint survey conducted in 2014 by the then Ministry of Urban Development, the Defence Estate Department and the Air Force, arguing that the sports complex is crucial for the air station's functioning.
IAF
IAF also raised objections with Ministry of Defence
The sealing had also resulted in the cancellation of a planned farewell for Singh, per PTI.
The event was expected to follow the traditional "golfing out" format, with the IAF chief serving as the patron-in-chief of the facility.
The IAF had also raised objections with the Ministry of Defence against this sealing process.
It cited the operational importance of the Air Force station in thwarting any aerial security challenges in the high-security area, sources told PTI.